Photographer's Note

About 40 km Northwest of my hometown, Ierapetra, passing through a village called Kato Symi and then taking a dificult dirtroad (4X4 vehicle suggested) you can find a beautiful, totally unknown and undiscovered plateau called Omalos (no relationship with a plateau with the same name in Hania Prefecture). The only inhabitants of that remote and strange place are two shepperds (two brothers, who have chosen to live far from the "civilization".

I had heard a lot about its unique beauty, so I decided to take advantage of my few days of vacation and visit it accompanied by a good friend, Manolis Malliotakis (the man on the left in my Raki distillers photo. I saw a very unusual landscape, a very "wild" one, even though, wild landscapes are pretty common in Crete. The cold was unbearable and the strong wind made the situation even worse. I lost sense of my fingers after a few minutes and the battery in my camera lost very quickly most of its power. Then I saw this beautiful tree that appeared to me like a sign of courage. Struggling to stand still, resisting to the snow carried away by the fierce wind, but most important standing the test of time.

Time (in Greek χρόνος- Chronos) is related with Cronos-Saturn, a mythological god, father of Zeus, who had the bad habit to eat his children, exactly as time does. To avoid his destiny (to be eaten by his father), Zeus found refuge in a cave, in another plateau, much bigger than Omalos and much more famous, the Lassithi plateau, not very far from this one.

Now that this year is reaching to an end, and a new one is knocking on our door, I hope that you'll see the same message of courage in this lonely tree.

Hey Hercules!
I am almost a year and a half here in TE, and this is my first time seeing your splendid work! Glad to find your gallery!
Very well implemented, with good composition of the tree - use of exposure control is very good! The blowing wind adds a lot of drama to this already dramatic shot.
Well done!
Chen

Nice black and white photo. I like the tree, and the myst or sand over the ground. The overhanging tree is nice, placed at a good place in the composition. I also like the hills in the background, and those few stones in the FG.
Well done Hercules.
Have a good 2007.

hi hercules
i must admit that this one is quite good indeed,
Very interesting, you reach a high level with this one.
I wanted to wish you a New Year full of nice meetings and experiences along your journeys

Fantastic shot! I really like the effect of the snow blown up, which gives a ghostly and ephemeral feel. The tree makes a great subject in this situation, and the black & white treatment works very well too. Beautiful!

Hi Hercules,
A great choice for black and white for this shot. The off centre composition of the tree works really well and I love the mood of the shot. Lovely light too.
Best wishes for the New Year!
Regards
Wanda

Hello Hercules
Beauty in bleakness...courage in times of difficulties..I feel your picture communicates this very well. I can feel the wind & the chill. The tree is well positioned in the frame & your use of cool filter(I presume) adds to the atmosphere. Excellent my friend
Wishing you the very best for the coming year
Regards
Angshu

Oh, I like this one. One thing I think I woulld changed though is to have the wind coming towards the camera for a more dramatic feel, or photograph the tree from the side to emphasize it's 'steadfastness'. Good job also using the polarizer to bring out the sky too though!

Hello Hercules,
It's nice to be back and find such beautiful photos! This winter composition is absolutely lovely, with the lonely tree surrounded by the the beauty of the snow and this cold atmosphere. I wonder how many degrees there was at the time you took this photo, brrrr!!!
I wish you a happy new year!
Cheers.
Paulo

This is such a strong image Hercules; the bent tree that seems to be struggling against the elements, communicates a feeling of stubborn optimism and defiance. Your title is fitting.
The strong light, well balanced composition, and use of black and white, all add up to a powerful, and rather moving image. Who'd have thought a tree (and a photographer) could do that!
Have a great New Year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR,Hercules!
You finished your 2006 TE year with a masterpiece.
Good composition with this strange lonely tree and well done in B&W.
The wind and fog makes a mystic atmosphere.
My best wishes for 2007,
regards,LEO

Hi Hercules,
This had missed my attention for a while, I am glad I didnt miss it altogether for this is a very special photo. Shades of colour, specially blue has dominated most Greek photos I have come across. But this is splendid in B&W. Almost looks like a desert landscape with all those dust blowing around.With Greetings from India
Sabyasachi

Hi Hercules,
wonderful gallery! Don't know which photo open to look at... ... but I must start somewhere ;))
This photo is amazing! I can feel the drama of the tree (but also the one that you wrote in the note), I especially like the snow that's carried away by the strong wind making a layer of mist. I like it very much... and the message also!
Have a nice day,
Tomi

Hi Hercules
Lovely B+W composition! I like the lonely tilted tree as the main subject and the snow moving over the cold ground create a very nice effect.
good light and contrast, maybe a tad overexposed in the upper right corner, but this is what creates this strong and nice shadow from the tree.
Nice work
Harry

Fantastic sight. I thought at first that the wind lifted the ground before reading your note and seeing the snow. Extraordinary scene of the nature which rages in an almost desert landscape.
Which forces in this photo.
Bravo!
The note is really very interesting.
Xairetw
Diane

Hello Hercules,
I hope it ok to comment on this photo, although is it a couple years old :-)
The mood captured here illustrates your story perfeclty. Beautiful composition with the leaning tree and an excellent light illuminating the blowing snow.
I really like the message of your shot.
Thanks.
Dasha